The top 8 qualifiers for the 2010 Ryder Cup was finally determined this past weekend. Tiger Woods was not one of them, in fact he was a distant 12th on the list.
However, Woods can get a spot on the team because Captain Corey Pavin has “4 Captains Picks”. Should Tiger be selected?
Wait for poll.
Dang, I forgot to adjust the closing date of the poll, can a moderator fix this?
There’s zero question in my mind: Tiger just isn’t playing well. If I’m doing my math right, his scoring average this year currently stands at 162nd on Tour. That’s worse than John Daly.
There is zero question in my mind, yes, there are not four other golfers I would pick over him.
I don’t envy Pavin. He is screwed whatever he does. He would have to ignore a player who has earned his way for a guy with problems. But he is Tiger.
He’s only playing in the hardest tournaments. You don’t see him padding his scoring average at the Greenbriar or the John Deere Classic.
This really isn’t a question of any seriousness - it’s very poorly disguised Tiger bashing. If Corey Pavin doesn’t pick Tiger, he should immideately be fired for gross incompetence and never be considered for a captain’s job again. As bad as Tiger is playing right now, (which is only bad as compared to himself in the past) there are no other candidates who are playing better, and that doesn’t take into account his upside, which is twice as good as any other candidates.
As much as people claim that his “aura” is gone, there is nobody on the European side that wants to be paired with Tiger in singles on Sunday.
What player would that be, who has earned a spot over Tiger?
On the other hand, yesterday the point was made that, if the 4 majors were one huge 16 round tourney, he would have won it. Yes, by his own standards, he isn’t playing well, but for most pros out there he is still ahead of the curve.
Anthony Kim
Lucas Glover
Zach Johnson
Rickey Barnes
JB Holmes
Ricky Fowler
Bo Van Pelt
Tiger is fading fast. He does not show any consistency. When he was playing well, he scared everybody. Not any more.
Tiger isn’t playing well right now and he probably doesn’t even want to do it. Someone else.
Anthony Kim - Injured, would have been a qualifier if not for the injury. He’ll be on the team.
Lucas Glover - MC at PGA. Record since June - MC, T58, T25, T48, T24, MC. You’ve got to be kidding me.
Zach Johnson - T47, T12, T77, T21, T76, T33, T3. Unimpressive to say the least.
Rickey Barnes - T3, T27, T5, T16, T44, T37, T78, MC. This is what fading fast looks like.
JB Holmes - T28, T59, 5, T14, T16, T44, T24. Does this look like a Ryder Cup player’s resume?
Ricky Fowler - 2, T13, MC, MC, T14, T33, T58. Does this look like a Ryder Cup player’s resume?
Bo Van Pelt - T3, T40, T33, T11, T44, T3, T28. Does this look like a Ryder Cup player’s resume?
Which resume looks better than Tiger’s?: T19, T4, T46, T23, T78, T28. Consider that all of Tiger’s tournaments were top tier with great fields on tough courses, and his worst finish was in a no-cut tournament where he shot 75-77 on the weekend when he had no shot.
Tiger is fading fast. He does not show any consistency. When he was playing well, he scared everybody. Not any more.
Admittedly, I am not a Tiger fan, but I do not think he deserves to be on the RC Team.
He cannot find a fairway, he has been in the 60’s exactly 6 times out 33 rounds, actually 34 times (but he WD mid round).
Prior statements about the “Pay for Play” back in the 1999 Ryder Cup (with O’Meara and Duval)
the US Team played remarkably well and easily won against a favored Euro team in 2008. The only time the US team won with Tiger on the team was 1999, and that took a miracle.
In his pre-Masters press conference, When asked it he wanted to be on the Ryder Cup team Tiger said “If I qualify”. Last week, at the WGC, when asked if he would accept a Captain picks, he only responded by saying “I am planning on playing my way onto the team.” Since those statements, he fell from #10 in the standings to
#12 in the standings.
He has been on the team bubble (or outside) ever since he came back to play at Augusta. Did he add any tournaments to his normal schedule? Not a one. He skipped tournaments in Hilton Head, New Orleans, San Antonio, Dallas, Ft Worth, Memphis, Hartford, Quad Cities, Canada, and West Virginia. he has either never played these tournaments or hasn’t played these tournaments in since early this century.
Tiger is 78th on the money list, 107th of the Fedex cup list. He ranks about 50th amongst Americans and about 20th amongst Americans in dollars/event. His 12th place standing in the Ryder Cup is helped considerably by his results in the 2009 majors (the only 2009 events that counted) and his performance in the 2010 majors (bigger bucks (points) and then points are doubled).
Ironically, Corey Pavin sits at 106th in the Fedex Cup standings, Woods 107th. If Pavin decides to play at the Barclays there is a 67% chance that he will be paired with Woods in the first two rounds of the tournament. Essentially, Woods will be auditioning in front of Pavin for a pick.
Admittedly, Pavin is not in a good situation. how can he leave off the best player of the generation. If doesn’t pick Woods and the team loses, the press and US golf fans will skewered like a kabob. If he picks Woods, and he cannot find a fairway, again he will be roasted.
Pavin has no choice but to pick Woods, but I truly believe it is not in the teams best interest.
The US Team won handily in 2008 without Woods. The US Team lost in 1997, 2002, 2004 (badly, home turf), and 2006 (badly) with Woods. We did in 1999 with a miracle comeback.
Tiger can not hit the planet with his tee shots. He is putting with no confidence. He has dropped like a rock. It is the wrong time and wrong place for him to work on his game.
Interesting predicament.
Pavin has to take him. If he does not and they lose, he will be criticized for not doing it. If he takes him and Tiger fails, it is understandable. If he takes him and Tiger plays great, he is a genius. So 2 out 3 scenarios say picking Tiger is a wise move.
What about Option D? Pavin does not pick him, and US team wins against a heavily favored European team.
Odds are 8/15 for Europe, 15/8 for US.
FTR, I do agree, Pavin has no choice, he has to pick him since he says he wants to be on the team.
The only way that Tiger is not on the team is if he puts his ego aside and tells Corey not to pick him.
In 1979, Jack Nicklaus had a terrible season and he was not on the Ryder Cup team.
Doesn’t Tiger usually play poorly in the Ryder Cup even when he is on form?
All the rules are out the window now. Tiger has to redeem himself and the Ryder Cup would be a good spot to do it. If he has any focus left, this is the for it.
Yes - other. Reason: I’m European.